Hola Hiver's, un placer escribirles nuevamente, en esta oportunidad les conversare sobre la grata experiencia de tener a un aprendiz en el Balcón/Taller.

...Transmitting Knowledge...

Hello Hiver's, a pleasure to write to you again, this time I will tell you about the pleasant experience of having an apprentice in the Balcony/Workshop.

Happy to tell you about these very good memories about my trade of luthier and to transmit the family knowledge of instrument making to new people so that they can be integrated to the popular culture and traditions of Cumaná in the field of craftsmanship and instrument making to continue strengthening our Venezuelan folklore.

After my start in 2014 in luthiery, 2015 came loaded with many orders and requests from musicians and fans of the Venezuelan Cuatro, it was a boom that year, everyone wanted a Cuatro of the Figueroa family, that led me to the need to hire my first assistant to cover the orders of manufacturing and restoration request.

I was a little anxious and afraid to have in my balcony/workshop a person to help me, but at the same time happy to train him as a luthier, since for my short time in the trade I felt prepared to transmit the knowledge and some secrets of our family. That person was José Cardozo, besides being a lifelong childhood friend, he was also my compadre and neighbor.

We began to talk about the manufacture, usefulness of wood, tools, measurements, plans, theory, among many things of interest for his knowledge. Between several cups of coffee, we finished that pleasant chat and with much encouragement to begin. The next day José was home early and without much ado we got down to work.

Actually I was surprised how fast he learned, thanks to all the advice and guidance I gave him, he was very efficient and responsible, worthy of any luthier, he was in his apprentice stage and weeks later he was already doing tasks and activities naturally and quickly, I was proud to see that I was forming a new Luthier to continue strengthening our culture from the manufacture of instruments for the musicians of the region and Venezuela.

Thanks to his support and the good pay he received, we were able to deliver dozens of ordered works, we were all happy and proud of the excellent work we achieved in that time and with the satisfaction of fulfilling the order in the established time.

Months later, José had to leave the city for a very good job interview at a telecommunications company, where he was accepted and given a superb job. With much feeling he had to leave the construction of instruments and dedicate himself to this work for which he was academically trained.

I could only thank him for his great work in the Balcony/Workshop during those months and for being my First Apprentice of lutherie, taking for granted that I can continue sharing my knowledge about the art of making instruments and collaborating with the culture and craftsmanship of Cuman, Sucre and Venezuela.